A Tour of University Park Estates in Long Beach

A Story by Michele Kreinheder | Updated 09/15/2014 10:19am

http://youtu.be/481KmSLigg0

University Park Estate is located across 7th Street from Cal State Long Beach and runs east to the water channel by Studebaker Avenue.Â This track, that has only three entrances, contains a manageable 500 or so homes.Â It was built in 1961 by S & S Construction who went on to build College Park Estates and other tracts in Long Beach as well.Â

University Park Estates is desired for its fantastic location. It backs up to the Bixby Golf Course at PCH and Loynes so really it is located quite close to the water at Marine Stadium. On the other hand it is super close to all the freeways entrances.Â But most of all I think it is because it is secluded making it desirable, especially for families with young children. There isnât a reason to go through the tract unless you live in the tract!

These homes are also larger that anything you will find further north in the âsuburbsâ of Long Beach, as I like to call Los Altos, the Plaza, Ranchos, and South of Conant areas, and more affordable than Alamitos Heights to its west and Belmont Heights to its south. There were only a few floor plans built, all being at least three bedrooms, most four bedrooms, but of course over the years many have been remodeled and/or expanded.

Kettering is the K-5 grade school located on the east side of the tract. The school also draws students from the gated and exclusive Bixby Hill and Bixby Riveria area.Â This truly is a neighborhood school and again another reason families love University Park Estates.Â Hill Middle School used to be the home school but its recent change to a magnet CAMS High School now has shifted the students to Hughes Middle School in the Heights. Wilson Classical High School, also in the Heights, is the home High School. Remember we do have school of choice in Long Beach, and boy is there a lot to choose from!

The area is known among the locals as simply, âthe holeâ. The entrance off of 7th is Margo Avenue and the steep descent indicates where the nickname arose. Channel View Park, so named due its location by the Channel is where you find the other entrance off of Loynes and Studebaker. I love how it looks like you are entering some a ranching area.Â For years there was a road on the west side of the tract that led to a parking lot area for Cal State students, as also allowed the residents easy access to the local Ralphâs grocery store at Bellflower/PCH/7th. In the mid 1980s this Bixby held land was developed into Bixby Village which contains high-end Patio and Townhomes with a clean New England style. The cohesive University Park Estates Neighborhood Organization fought to keep this road access open and won.

Biking from University Park Estates to just about anywhere in Long Beach couldnât be easier. The bike path by the golf course takes you towards the Heights and Downtown, while the bike and pedestrian bridge take you to the San Gabriel River Bike Path for trips south to Seal Beach or north to Lakewood and 70 miles beyond. Â

If you are interested in finding a home in the best neighborhood for you in Long Beach, I am always happy to help explain the difference among our myriad of possibilities. It really is the beauty of Long Beach; there is something and somewhere for everyone!